Spotlight | Carhartt WIP “Portlandia”

Carhartt is the workwear brand of America, offering affordable and utilitarian basics for decades, known by many for its dark and rugged denim jackets, pants, and overalls. Carhartt WIP (Work In Progress) is the elevated counter personality that has quickly become globally respected, worn and coveted. With a full offering that includes shoes, shirts, pants, and accessories, Carharrt WIP is considerably more design-focused then its parent brand, placing an emphasis on slimmer silhouettes and playing with graphic applications. The approach hits a higher price point and is targeted to a different, fashion conscious, city-based demographic. The result is a collection that combines the Carhartt workwear heritage with a cooler contemporary feel.

For Spring/Summer 2016, Carhartt WIP turned to the cloud-covered city of Portland to shoot “Portlandia”, a featured Spring/Summer 2016 collection. The pieces are certainly inspired by a wet-weather Spring, with several styles of jacket (pullover, parka, denim) and pants, as well as sweatshirts and beanies that bear the classic chunky Carhartt logo. The collection is both understated and current, warm and stylish, and full of that “We’re hoping for warm weather, but it’s not quite here” sentiment. 

Also: Cool Camping Gear To Put The City In Your Rearview

But its not like the “Portlandia’ collection becomes irrelevant when Summer does arrive (and it will). With warmer weather, just comfortably strip down to a t-shirt and jeans, as all the Carhartt WIP outerwear styles and crewnecks will look almost equally as good tied around your waist. Unique additions to the collection include the slick, polyester “NYC” Track Suit with ankle zip closures, and the sporty, geometric Assayut Sweater. For the adventuresome, we thoroughly support picking up a pair of Bib Overalls, whether in indigo cotton or white. Cuff ’em up at the bottom, wear a tee underneath, and rock assertively to any and every music festival that rolls through your town. 

All images courtesy of Carhartt WIP.